The present invention broadly relates to embroidery machines and, in particular, to a new and improved construction of an embroidery machine equipped with a novel construction of a thread guide and clamping device.
Generally speaking, the embroidery machine of the present development is of the type comprising a large number or plurality of embroidery locations arranged in at least one row and equipped with axially displaceably guided embroidery needles. The embroidery threads or yarns or the like of the embroidery needles are partially trained or wrapped about adjacently situated conjointly to-and-fro oscillating thread guides of a thread delivery device in order to accomplish the thread feed or advance and the thread retraction, as the case may be. The threads which are partially wrapped about the conjointly to-and-fro oscillating thread guides of the thread delivery device are guided over a thread brake element, such as a thread brake roll or roller.
In embroidery machines of the aforementioned type working with a large number of embroidery needles arranged in one or a number of rows all of the adjacently situated embroidery threads or the like partially wrap about the thread brake roll and the thread guides, and specifically, depending upon the repeat pattern and, in particular, in the case of multi-color embroidery operations, this is so for both the embroidering as well as also the non-embroidering threads.
In order to prevent with such arrangements the jumping over or crossover of the threads which are alternatively loosened and tightened or tensioned due to the oscillation of the thread guides, there is required a thread guide structure which laterally carefully limits or bounds the threads.
Furthermore, a multi-color embroidery operation performed upon such embroidery machines requires placing into standstill the threads which are not momentarily participating in the embroidery operation and removal or release of such non-participating threads from the fabric or cloth. In particular the thread ends then must be fixedly clamped and the excess ends must be severed or cut. Depending upon the type of embroidery machine the threads which have been placed into a standstill state or mode can remain in the needle eyelet of the associated embroidery needle in preparation for a subsequent color or rapport change or the stationary threads must be threaded-out and retracted back at least up to the region of the thread guides.
Although for the lateral thread guiding operation there were heretofore provided hooks, combs and the like, for the fixed retention of the thread ends of the stationary or non-participating threads it was conventional practice to use pins or pin members about which there was wrapped the thread and then torn off.
Neither of these proposals is adequate to comply with the present day requirements which demand a good visual overview or inspection capability for the embroidery machine, as well as effective and user-friendly servicing of such embroidery machines.